VZCZCXRO4004
OO RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #2402/01 2470653
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 030653Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5370
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/OSD WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 002402 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
PASS STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A 
NSC FOR WOOD 
OSD FOR MCGRAW 
CENTCOM FOR CSTC-A, POLAD, CG CJTF-101 
E.O 12958 
TAGS: MOPS PGOV PREL AF
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT REGARDING THE GOA'S SHINDAND 
INVESTIGATION 
 
¶1. (U) The following is Embassy's translation of the Office of the 
President's August 31st statement detailing the 
results of a GOA investigation of the Shindand operation. 
 
¶2. (U) Begin text: 
 
Nimatullah Shahrani, the Minister for Hajj and 
Endowment Affairs was assigned as the head of the delegation 
to investigate the Coalition Forces' bombardment in Azizabad 
and Nowabad villages in Shindand District, Herat Province. 
The delegation was comprised of MPs from the Lower and Upper 
houses of Parliament and representatives from the Afghan 
Ministry of Interior. 
 
The head of the delegation stated that the Coalition 
Forces targeted 15 residential houses, eight of which were 
totally destroyed, and seven were partially damaged.  The 
delegation stated that Coalition Forces bombed a mourning 
ceremony for an influential Herati citizen, Mr. Timor Shah. 
(Note: During mourning ceremonies a large number of people 
participate, recite the holy Quran, and then eat together). As 
stated, high-ranking security and other government officials 
were invited to the ceremony for Mr. Shah.  The delegation 
noticed some cooking pots, and a water tank, which were 
destroyed as a result of the bombing. The delegation also 
noticed human body parts at the sites (e.g. hands, feet, and 
heads) which were collected and kept by the local people after 
burying the dead. 
 
The head of the delegation stated that 90 civilians 
were killed and six were injured as a result of the bombing. 
The dead included 15 adult males and 15 adult females.  The 
remaining victims were children between ages 1 and 18 years- 
old.  The Coalition Forces arrested five teenagers during the 
operation. As stated by local residents, security institutions 
in the district, and eye witnesses, all the victims were 
civilians and did not include any Taliban insurgents. 
 
Naimatullah Shahrani added that the military and 
intelligence officials in the province did not have any 
information regarding the presence of Taliban insurgents in 
the area.  Based on the remarks by Herat Province's Provincial 
Council Head, the Commander of the 207th Army Corps told the 
Council via phone that they had no information regarding the 
Coalition Forces' plan to bomb the area. 
 
The head of the delegation added that after questioning 
the army officials, they found that the U.S. Special Forces 
had only informed the Afghan Commandos Battalion of the 
operation.  In fact 45 Afghan commandos were accompanying the 
Special Forces during the raid in Azizabad village.  According 
to the Commander of Army Corps, the Afghan commandos and U.S. 
Special Forces were traveling together towards the villages 
when they came under attack.  The Afghan commandos stopped and 
held their position while the U.S. Special Forces continued 
their march into the villages and began to conduct the 
operation.  The Commander added that the Coalition forces' 
aircraft bombed the area continuously from 2:00 A.M. until 
8:00 A.M. 
 
Naimatullah Shahrani added that the delegation spoke to 
the local people and the families of the victims in detail and 
passed the President's, Parliament's, and the Security Forces' 
condolences to them and recognized and acknowledged their 
patience during the delegation's investigation. 
 
Naimatullah Shahrani added that the people asked the 
delegation for the following: "We are not going to complain to 
the police, the military, or intelligence officials, but we 
are asking the delegation to bring to justice those who caused 
this incident by providing inaccurate information."  The local 
people asked the government to take this issue seriously and 
to tackle those foreign spies who are trying to create 
distance between the Government of Afghanistan and the people, 
and for trying to encourage the Coalition Forces to act 
against the people of Afghanistan. 
 
Mr. Naimatullah Shahrani also said that the delegation 
distributed 90,300,000 Afghanis for the burials and funerals 
 
KABUL 00002402  002 OF 002 
 
 
of the victims. The President also ordered the officials in 
Herat Province to assign another delegation to investigate the 
damage in the surrounding area. 
 
The delegation also met with the Commander of the U.S. 
Specials Forces in charge of the western zone, but the answers 
provided were not satisfactory.   The U.S. officials 
stated that the responsible officials were now in Bagram answering 
questions related to the incident. They will inform the delegation 
of the results. 
 
The Afghan President studied the report prepared by 
the delegation and expressed condolences and sympathy to the 
local residents of the two villages via phone and assured them 
of a thorough follow up. 
 
End text. 
 
¶3. (SBU) COMMENT: Post brings this to WashingtonQs attention, 
although a number of the characterizations of the situation 
do not square with our understanding of events, which will be 
reported through military channels. END COMMENT. 
 
WOOD